Toy detonator box



Dec. 12, 1967 J. R. GEISER 3,357,128

TOY DETONATOR BOX Filed Oct. 19, 1964 Fig. 4

I INVENTOR.

John R.Ge|'ser ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,357,128 TOY DETONATOR BOX John R. Geiser, 11261 Lafayette, Northglenn, Colo. 80233 Filed Oct. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 404,723 7 Claims. (Cl. 46-194) This invention relates to toys of the general class which produce reports simulating gun shots and explosions, and more particularly to toys of the general class which are adapted to burst a membrane, or the like, to produce a report.

The present invention concerns a toy adapted especially to burst balloons with a loud report, the invention simulating in appearance and operation a conventional blasting detonator, a primary object of the invention being to provide a novel and improved toy detonator box which is similar in appearance and operation to a conventional electric blasting detonator, and which is especially constructed to burst the balloons to obtain a moderately loud, sharp report. As such, the invention will be hereinafter referred to as a toy detonator box, or simply as a toy detonator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved toy detonator which is highly suggestive of an electrical blasting detonator and is operated in the same manner, but operates to burst balloons and the like to produce an explosive report, the result being suggestive to a child of the action produced by a real detonator for high explosives, such as he often sees used in movies and on television shows.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved toy detonator which is especially adapted to simulate and excite the imagination of children, which will produce explosive-like reports at a noise level sulficient to satisfy a child, yet restricted in actual intensity, and which is completely safe and harmless even when used by very small children.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved toy detonator which is adapted to burst balloons to produce an explosive-like report, which is a simple, low-cost, ne'at appearing, reliable and durable toy.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, all of which more fully hereinafter appear, my invention cornprises certain constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts and elements as hereinafter described, defined in the appended claims and illustrated, in preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial-elevational, partial-sectional view of a toy detonator constructed according to the invention, showing portions thereof as being removed to illustrate compression of a balloon within it in accordance with the principles of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a bottom view of the toy detonator shown at FIG. 1 to illustrate a preferred arrangement of outlets therein.

FIGURE 3 is an isometric, partially-exploded view of the toy detonator and also of a balloon to illustrate specifically the manner in which the components are separated to place the balloon within the body of the toy detonator preliminary to bursting it, to produce an explosivelike report.

FIGURE 4 is a side eleva-tional view of the base portion of the toy detonator, illustrating an alternate construction to the arrangement shown at FIGS. 1 to 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, my toy detonator D consists of a prismatic box-like body B having a plunger P extending into the top of the body. As such, it is similar in appearance to a real electric blasting detonator, and it is operated in the same manner, as will be explained.

3,357,128 Patented Dec. 12, 1967 In further detail, the body B is preferably formed of sheets of wood, plywood, or like material having suflicient thickness say, for example, a one-quarter inch, to provide a rigid construction. This body is preferably square in plan, and it will include four rectangular sidewalls 10, a bottom 11, and a top 12. This upright, square-sectioned, prismatic member is preferably proportioned so that its height is approximately twice its width. The unit may be of any size suitable for use by children say, for example, approximately 12 inches high.

The sidewalls 10 will be joined together at the edges in any suitable manner, such as by gluing or nailing, and in order to permit manufacture of a minimum number of individual components, an overlap pattern of sidewall edges may be used, as in the manner indicated as 13 at FIG. 2. It is contemplated that the square-section wall 10 will set upon the square bottom member 11, rat-her than over it, and that the corners of the bottom member 11 will be cut oif as at 14 to provide corner openings 15, as in the manner clearly shown at FIG. 2. These openings 15 provide communication from the interior of the body to the atmosphere, and it is contemplated that whenever a balloon filling the body is burst within the body, as in the manner which will be described, the report of the bursting balloon will be through these openings.

The top 12 is adapted to be removed from the body to place a balloon therein, and the top may be formed as a. square, lid-like member adapted to fit within the embrace of the sidewalls of the body, and it is contemplated that this top will be suitably flanged at its edges so that it may lie on the opening in the manner of a lid flange, as illustrated at FIG. 1. For convenience of construction, the top may be of double-material thickness with an upper flange 16 being formed of a piece having the same shape as the bottom to minimize the individual compcnents in the assembly. This flange portion may be securely aflixed to the under top member, as by gluing or the like.

The plunger P includes a rod 17 which is axially centered within the body itself and extends through a central orifice 18 in the top 12. A square piston plate 19, formed the same as the lower top member 12, is sized to fit within the box with a free slidable fit. This piston plate is allixed to the bottom of the plunger rod in any suitable manner as at 20 by gluing or the like. A short cross bar 21 extends through and is afllxed in an orifice 22 at the top of the rod 17 to form a handle. The length of this plunger rod 17 is somewhat in excess of the height of the body so that when the piston is completely within the body and the bottom of the rod 17 is against the bottom 11 of the body, the handle will be a slight distance above the top lid. This will avoid the possibility of a child pinching his fingers should he depress the plunger too rapidly, as when he is bursting a balloon with the toy.

The toy detonator above described is made feasible and practicable through the development of low-cost toy balloons 25 of the type which can be commonly obtained in packages of 50 to for a very nominal price. Such balloons 25 may be blown up to a diameter of approximately four to six inches, and then the mouth portion 26 is tied in any common manner to prevent loss of air from them.

In the use of this toy, the top 12 and plunger portion P are lifted from the body as in the manner shown at FIG. 3. A balloon 25 is then placed within the body and the top and plunger are next replaced with the plunger being in an upwardly extended position, the piston plate 19 resting upon the balloon within the body. The subsequent bursting operation is accomplished by simply pressing the plunger downwardly and completely within the body. This movement compresses the air within the balloon to a point where the membrane forming the balloon will be distorted, first to the shape of the body interior, and then the balloon will burst at one of the openings 15 at the bottom of the body. This bursting action, suddenly releasing a charge of compressed air, produces a sharp report.

This action will be of considerable interest to a child playing with the toy especially after he watches a movie or television program depicting grown-up blasting operations, and the child becomes aware of the purpose of the electrical detonator. At the same time, the child will have to make a number of preparations, for each time he uses the toy detonator, he will have to blow up the balloon, tie the same, place it within the body of the toy detonator, and replace the top of the detonator before he is ready to repeat the performance, and such necessary preparatory operations will be a good training and exercise of restraint in a child in contrast with toys where the noise or other eltect is accomplished as by turning a crank without any understanding on the part of the child as to the nature of the operation.

Several variations and modifications are possible with this toy balloon, two such modifications being shown at FIG. 4 to illustrate a modified opening and a means for facilitating the bursting of a balloon.

While the balloon bursting toy may be formed in an especially neat-appearing manner where the openings 15 are at the bottom of the toy, it is also contemplated that a better bursting action and report can be obtained by a side opening near the bottom of the toy, especially where the toy is placed upon a rug or other media which is apt to absorb the sound of a report emanating from an opening 15 at the bottom of the body. Thus, the modified body B, shown at FIG. 4, includes an arcuate section 14' which is cut away from a base corner of a side wall to form the side opening 15'. The bottom 11' may be as heretofore described, or it may be a simple square member. It is immediately apparent that the openings may also be formed otherwise, such as being circular or elliptical, and the choice of opening will be governed largely by the type of material from which the toy is to be built and the manner in which it is to be fabricated.

Another problem arises in connection with the bursting of balloons where the toy balloons may be formed of very tough rubber sheeting, and where it is difiicult for small children to exert enough pressure against the handle of the plunger to burst the toy balloon. To avoid this problem, a sharp point (not shown), such as a nail or the like, is located at a corner of the box at a position where it will not contact the toy balloon until a moderate pressure on the plunger changes the shape of the balloon to fit the interior of the body.

I have now described the preferred construction of my toy detonator in considerable detail; however, it is obvious that others can build alternate and equivalent cons'tructions of toy detonators or very similar toys which produce explosive reports by the bursting of balloons, as in the manner described. Hence, it is my desire thatmy protection be limited, not to the constructions herein illustrated and described, but only by the proper scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a toy balloon, a toy detonator adapted to burst said toy balloon under pressure and with an explosive report, and comprising:

(a) a boxlike container receiving said toy balloon in inflated condition and having an aperture at its base substantially smaller than the diameter of the balloon; and,

(b) a plunger at the top of the container extending therein and having a piston at its bottom, within the container, adapted to normally rest upon said inflated toy balloon therein; said plunger being adapted to be pressed into the container whereby the piston presses against the balloon to press it downwardly into the container under increasing pressure until rupture of the balloon occurs at the aperture.

2. In combination with a toy balloon, a toy detonator adapted to burst said toy balloon under pressure and with an explosive report, and comprising:

(a) a prismatic boxlike container of uniform cross section having one closed end forming a bottom thereof and having an aperture adjacent to the bottom and receiving said toy balloon in inflated condition; Y

(b) a lid adapted to fit upon the top of the container to enclose the same and having a central passageway therethrough; and,

(c) a plunger extending through the lid passageway and having a piston at its lower end adapted to fit within the container and being further adapted to rest upon said inflated toy balloon within the container and to press the toy balloon downwardly into the container under increasing pressure until the balloon ruptures, with a release of compressed air from the aperture.

3. In the detonator toy defined in claim 2, wherein said aperture is formed in the bottom of the container.

4. In the detonator toy defined in claim 2, wherein said aperture is formed in the side of the container.

5. In the d'etonator toy defined in claim 2, wherein said container is formed of wall members adapted to be mounted upon a bottom member and said aperture is formed by a cut-off corner portion of the bottom member. 6. In the'detoriat'or toy de'fined in claim 2, wherein said lid includes a flanged portion adapted to rest upon the top of the container with a laterally locking fit, whereby to hold the plunger in alignment at all positions within the container.

7. In the toy detonator defined in claim 2, wherein said plunger consists of a rod, a handle at the top thereof, and a flat plate-like piston member at its bottom which is adapted to fit within the container with a snug, slideable fit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1956 Krinsky 46175 X 7/1961 Ayala 46174 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A TOY BALLOON, A TOY DETONATOR ADAPTED TO BURST SAID TOY BALLOON UNDER PRESSURE AND WITH AN EXPLOSIVE REPORT, AND COMPRISING: (A) A BOXLIKE CONTAINER RECEIVING SAID TOY BALLOON IN INFLATED CONDITION AND HAVING AN APERTURE AT ITS BASE SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE BALLOON; AND (B) A PLUNGER AT THE TOP OF THE CONTAINER EXTENDING THEREIN AND HAVING A PISTON AT ITS BOTTOM, WITHIN THE CONTAINER, ADAPTED TO NORMALLY REST UPON SAID INFLATED TOY BALLOON THEREIN; SAID PLUNGER BEING ADAPTED TO BE PRESSED INTO THE CONTAINER WHEREBY THE PISTON PRESSES AGAINST THE BALLOON TO PRESS IT DOWNWARDLY INTO THE CONTAINER UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE UNTIL RUPTURE OF THE BALLOON OCCURS AT THE APERTURE. 